The purpose is to study the interaction of calcitonin with its specific receptor target organs. The current investigations should provide further insight into the structure-function relationship in calcitonin. Calcitonin is a small polypeptide hormone and therefore lends itself well to studies using synthetic peptide fragments. The system is also useful for characterizing hormone receptors in kidney, bone and other tissues. Calcitonin increases cAMP in MCF 7 breast cancer cells. At 300-fold lower concentration calcitonin decreases cAMP in these cells. The decreases in cAMP is prevented by preexposure of cells to agents that interfere with inhibitory guanyl regulatory proteins. Intracellular compartmentalization of cAMP accumulation after calcitonin has been imaged after microwave fixation of cells. The cAMP accumulates initially along the plasma membrane but within 1 to 3 minutes accumulates much closer to the nucleus.